This tomato soup recipe makes one of the best bowls of tomato soup we’ve ever had. It’s shockingly simple and calls for only three main ingredients (butter, onion, and tomato). Don’t let the short ingredient list fool you. The soup is absolutely delicious!
This easy tomato soup recipe is inspired by Marcella Hazan’s famous tomato sauce. You might not think three ingredients can combine to make such a velvety and delicious soup, but they can.
Canned tomatoes are excellent in this recipe (although I have shared tips for using fresh below). If you love roasted tomatoes, see our roasted tomato soup recipe.
Key Ingredients
Tomatoes:I love canned tomatoes for this soup. They’re always in season, so I can enjoy this recipe year-round. San Marzano or Muir Glen are my go-to. If you have fresh tomatoes, you’ll need about 10 to 12 medium (or 2 pounds). There is no need to peel them. Everything is blended in the end, anyway!
Onion:I cut half a large onion into large wedges and then allow them to simmer with the tomatoes until it’s sweet and soft. The onion adds a lovely flavor and makes the soup creamy.
Butter:I don’t add cream or milk to my tomato soup but use butter. The butter simmers with the tomatoes and onion, which flavors the soup and makes it taste rich and creamy.
How to Make Homemade Tomato Soup
To make this extra easy tomato soup, add butter, onion, a large can of tomatoes, and water to a large pot. (I usually use water in this soup, but stock or broth work, too). Remember, you can use fresh tomatoes – tips for using them are in the recipe below.
Bring everything to a low simmer and cook for 40 minutes. The photo and video show that our tomato soup becomes super creamy. That’s thanks to the butter. The onions also soften, which adds to the creaminess of our soup when blended.
Blend the soup until smooth. I typically use an immersion blender, but a regular blender works perfectly fine. Adjust the soup with salt and pepper, then grab a bowl and enjoy!
What to Serve with Tomato Soup
Our family loves serving tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. This tomato soup is also excellent, topped with homemade croutons or served next to a slice of homemade focaccia or buttery garlic bread.
I also love serving soup next to fresh salads. Try our easy chopped salad, tahini kale salad, or homemade Caesar salad.
This is one of the easiest and tastiest tomato soups I’ve made. I love serving with grilled cheese sandwiches, but this is also wonderful with crusty bread or garlic bread on the side.
Makes 2 generous servings
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, cut into large wedges
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, we prefer to use whole peeled or crushed, see notes for fresh tomatoes
1 ½ cups water, low sodium vegetablestock, orchicken stock
1Melt the butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large saucepan.
2Add onion wedges, water, tomatoes with their juices, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
3Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional salt as needed.
4Blend the soup, and then season to taste. The soup doesn’t need to be ultra-smooth; some texture is nice. An immersion blender does make quick work of this, or you can use a blender. When using a regular blender, work in smaller batches, and don’t fill it too high – hot soup expands! For safety, remove the lid’s center insert and cover the opening with a kitchen towel while blending. This releases steam and prevents messy splatters.
5Store homemade tomato soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
Fresh tomatoes: Use 10 to 12 medium tomatoes (2 pounds). No need to peel them, everything is blended in the end.
Vegan tomato soup: Substitute the butter for plant-based butter or extra-virgin olive oil.
For tomato basil soup: Add a handful of fresh basil before blending the soup.
Make creamy tomato soup: After blending, add a splash of cream for an extra creamy tomato soup.
The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have omitted salt since you will need to add to your tastes.
Nutrition Per ServingServing SizeHalf of the recipe/Calories348/Total Fat24.9g/Saturated Fat14.8g/Cholesterol61mg/Sodium1485.4mg/Carbohydrate29.6g/Dietary Fiber4.5g/Total Sugars15.4g/Protein7.8g
Gather all ingredients. Combine tomatoes, chicken broth, garlic cloves, and a large slice of onion in a stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and gently simmer for about 20 minutes to blend flavors. Remove from heat and run the mixture through a food mill into a large bowl, or pan.
Tomato soup is better with milk because it makes it creamier. You can add water if you have no milk or want to keep dairy-free but it will change the texture.
Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.
It's shockingly simple and calls for only three main ingredients (butter, onion, and tomato). Don't let the short ingredient list fool you. The soup is absolutely delicious! Easy Three Ingredient Tomato Soup Recipe - Our favorite tomato soup!
Olive oil and butter – They create the soup's rich base. To make this recipe dairy-free, feel free to use additional olive oil instead of the butter. Carrots, onion, and garlic – These aromatic veggies give the soup savory depth of flavor. Balsamic vinegar – It adds sweetness and tang.
Add chopped fresh basil or parsley at the end of cooking to bring out that rich tomato flavor. Turn to your pantry for seasonings like fresh cracked black pepper, Italian seasoning or oregano, stirring them in while the soup is still cooking.
Tomatoes are very acidic and milk or cream is added to them, curdling can occur. Curdling will be more likely to happen when the ratio of acid to cream increases or when mixing a cold and hot mixture. To thwart the curdling tendency, changing procedures will render a smooth tomato soup.
If your sauce or soup contains an acidic ingredient like wine, tomatoes, or lemon juice, the milk is more likely to curdle. To counteract the effect of the acid, you can use a starch along with the acid.
Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.
It may be unexpected, but this ingredient is a key player in any good tomato soup recipe. While cream and sugar are great tools for counteracting acidity, too much can throw off the delicate balance of flavor and even overpower the robust tomato flavor that we actually want!
What tomatoes are best for homemade tomato soup? I like to use plum or roma tomatoes for homemade tomato soup because they have the best flavor when roasted. I recommend using garden fresh or organic to keep the soup as flavorful as possible!
This variety of tomato is most often associated with Italian tomato sauces, but they work well in pretty much anything you might need tomatoes for, like soups, chili and curries. D.O.P.and "San Marzano" are the two most readily available kinds of whole peeled tomatoes in grocery stores.
Though you could use any tomato, Roma and other paste tomatoes — with meaty texture with little to no seeds — are said to develop the best flavor when cooked down into a delicious sauce. Keep clicking to see our top tomato contenders and also see our guide to growing the best tomatoes ever.
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